Detroit’s Got Talent: Organizations Help Shine a Light on Local Artists

By: Scott Davis

April 7, 2017

If you are a musician or singer, you know the struggle of trying to make your voice heard with there being so much talent in the area. Enter Parkhouse Detroit and Sofar Sounds Detroit. Together, these two companies are helping many metro Detroit area singers and musicians to achieve their dreams.

Parkhouse Detroit helps curate events for local artists, while helping them work towards their career goals. The organization helps artists book events, and gives them the opportunity network and make connections with successful leaders in the industry. Parkhouse CEO, Blake Edwards, says that Parkhouse looks for any talented artist in the area.

“We have no limitations on genre. We have had hip-hop, folk, country, rock, Americana, [a] hybrid of all of those things,” Edwards said. “We try to change people’s perspective on what live performances could be and we operate without boundaries.”

Parkhouse Detroit works closely with Sofar Sounds Detroit to help put on secret concerts and events at the area’s best venues. Sofar Sounds was founded in London in 2009 and is located in 333 major cities around the world. The Detroit branch just launched last year and has been putting on secret concerts once a month, with the hope of expanding to two or three a month as demand grows.

Local artists audition for a spot on the bill for the show, then about a week before the show Sofar Sounds lets the talent know if they made the cut. It is considered a secret concert because patrons do not know the venue until 36 hours before the start of the show, which builds a sense of exclusivity and excitement for both the artist and the concert-goers.

Parkhouse and Sofar Sounds Detroit have built a lot of trust with their patrons that they will curate a memorable concert, even though they have no idea what kind of music or talent to expect. Luckily, Parkhouse has been able to find some of the best musicians in the market and Sofar Sounds has helped give these artists the stage they need to be seen.

Edwards believes that even though it has been historically hard for musicians to break out in Detroit, it is a great time to be in the city because of the city’s ability to create an intersection of art and activism.

“We want to work to connect the dots throughout the city, whether that’s throughout corporate or the inner city, because it all matters. This area deserves to be rebuilt, we all play a role and we are just looking to make those connections.”

The next concert will take place on Friday, April 14 with the venue and artists to be announced within 36 hours of the performance. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased on the Sofar Sounds website and you will be notified by email where the concert will take place.